Clasp



March 8, 1932. J QN 1,849,020 CLASP Filed Sept. 18. 1931 '2.Sheets-Sheet l I IN V EN TOR.

BY flmw WM,

ATTORNEYS.

March 8, 1932. 'J F ALLISON 7 1,849,020

. CLASP Fi led Sept. 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES F. ALLISON, OIPROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO mamm- DAUG HADAY COMPANY, A.CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS CLASP Application tiled September 18,1981.. Serial No. 568,536.

This application relates to a clasp for gripping the opposite edges of acollar or for engaging a tie to hold the same in position on the shirt,or for like purposes, and

has for its object to provide a means which will vary the grippingpressure in response to movement of the material gripped by the means.

' Another'object of this invention is the pro-.

vision of a friction member which will rock to assist in initialmovement of the fabric between a pair of jaws, and will move to a givenposition to either more tightly or more loosely grip the fabric, asdesired.

A further object of this invention is the provision of jaws that may bemoved to engage the fabric with ease but initially withdrawn withgreater dificulty. 1

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a rockablemember which will be limited in its movement to and from certain i inpositions.

with t h e aid other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a necktie clasp of my improvedconstruction.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. I 3 is a central section showing the friction member in .theposition it assumes at the initial insertion of the fabric.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the position of the friction memberupon completion of the insertion of the fabric.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the position of the friction afterinitial withdrawing of the fabric.

Fig. 6 ,is a similar view showing the further I withdrawal of the fabricand the position of the friction member.

Fig. 7- is a sectional view of a modified form of friction member.

Fig. 8 is a top plan'view of a collar holder- Fig. 9 is a sectional viewof the construction shown in Figure 8.

Fig. 1Ov is a view similar to Figure 9 with the fabric inserted therein.

Fig. 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Figure 8. i The invention which Ihave herein illustrated is, in its broader sense, a clasp comprising apair of jaws for gripping any material such as a fabric or the likeinserted therebetween and may be applied equally well to either a collaror a tie clasp, and I have shown the invention as ap lied in these twoforms, althou h other simi ar uses may be apparent from t e structure ofthe device. Y

I have found that it is desirable to provide a pair of gripping aws soarranged that the insertion of the fabric will be easier thanitswithdrawal or one in which maximum gripping position may be assumedbetween two positlons of lesser gri ping tension, and in order toaccomplish this result I have mounted a friction member which will exerta minimum pressure upon the fabricbetween the aws upon insertion, butwill rock the member to cause a maximum or increased presv sure of themember on the fabric to more also permits of the member to' rock in areverse direction upon initialinsertion of the fabric between the jawsto lessen the pressure and permit easy insertion of the collar or tieinto the device; and the following is a detailed description of thepresent embodiment of this invention, illustrating the preferred meansby which these advantageous results may'be accomplished; A

With reference to the drawings Fi res 1 to 7 inclusive disclosea tieclasp w ich is formed ofwire doubledupon itself to pro- .vide a rear jaw10 and a front jaw 11. The rear 'aw is a frame with parallel portions 12w ich are brought together at 13 and smooth surface 25 at one side thewires extend in'slightly tionship to form arms the loop portion 17 atThe end portions 18 and 19 of the back jaw 10 turned inwardly and bentto provide an eye in which a friction member, designated enerally, 20 ispivotally mounted by means of the ends of these ortions 18 and 19extending thereinto. A? band 21 secures the end portions 18 and 19together and hold the cam 20 in place. The friction member 20 isprovided with an eccentrically located pivot openin 22 and shaped asbest shown in section in igures 3 to 5 inclusive to provide fabricengaging teeth '23 and 24, with a and a roughened surface 26 on theother side thereof.

The fabric 27 when first inserted, as illus trated in Figure 3, engagesthe space 28 between the teeth 23-and24 and rocks the memher about itspivot so that the roughened surface 26 will be in engagement with thefabric, thus the fabric during the latter part of its insertion willslide along the roughened surface 26. Upon initial withdrawing of thefabric from inserted position, the friction member will be rocked aboutits pivot-to the position illustrated in Figure 5, so that the teeth 23and 24 will engage the fabric 27 and spring the jaw 11 the maximumdistance from the aw 10 at which position the cam or gripping memberwill have its maximum pressure applied to the fabric. Upon furtherwithdrawal the friction member may be rocked to the positionillustratedin Figure'6 with the smooth surface 25 in engagement with thefabric to apply less pressure on the fabric and permit easy withdrawallStops are suitably provided on the friction. member by means ofabutments 29 and 30, as shown in Figure ,6, to engage the pivotalmountings 18 and 19 and limit the movement of the friction member in itsrocking so as to determine the ositions it will assume with relation tothe abric. Thus it will be observed that upon insertion of the fabricthe member will first be rocked about its pivot through its position ofmaximum pressure to the position of minimum pressure illustrated inFigure 4, along which the fabric will slide upon insertion, then uponwithdrawal of the fabric slightly the position of maximum pressure willbe obtamed and then upon further withdrawal the friction member will betipped to the opposite side to a osition of lesser pressure to permitthe fa ric to be moved alon the smooth surface 25 in withdrawing it romthe clasp.

It is known that the width of a'fore-inhand tie is such that when itsedge aligns with the edge of the shirt, the tie is to one side of thecenter of the shirt, and it is therethese jaws.'

fore desirable in positioning a tie clip to leave a sufficient distancebetween 14 of the clasp and the edge of the shirt to permitthetie to bemoved into this portion to center the tie on the shirt, and by theprovision'of this construction I may align the edge of the tie with theedge of the shirt and the bight or fold push the tie clasp into itsextreme position then withdraw the same slightly to the positionillustrated in Figure 5 in which maximum gripping occurs, and then slidethe tie outwardly until itengages the bight 14. The

friction member'being in engagementwith the shirt isnot moved by slidinthe tie along the shirt and front jaw and t us the tie is centered andthe friction member is located in its maximurngripping position fromwhich it may be manually released.

In some instances it is a member 30, as shown in Figure 7, with itssurface notched to provide abutments 31 and 32 between which a finger 33may be positioned to engage either of these abutments to desirable toprovide limit'the movement of thecam as desired. By

suitably positioning these stops, I may cause the cam to function toapply the desired maximum andminimum pressures at the different relativepositions of the clasp and the fabric as is desired. 4

In Figures 8 to 11 inclusive, I have disclosed the adoption of thismember on a collar holder, which consists of a front bar 35 and a rearbar 36 which are clamped together by a band 37 to prov'gde oppositelydisposed pairs of jaws 38 and 9..- In the back jaw 39, I have mounted afriction member 40 which may be folded about a cross bar 41 formed bycut-out portions 42 in the jaw 39. Upon insertion of the fabric 43 themember 40 will be rocked to the minimum gripping position as illustratedin Figure 10 and therestop by engagement ofits portion 44,'with the jaw39 at the edge of the opening 42, and upon withdrawal-of the fabric 43the member 40 will be rocked to cause its portion 45 to engage theopposite edge 46 of the slot 42 and limit the movement of the member sothat the maximum pressure is applied to the fabric tending to resistwithdrawal from between In this case, the member being positioned inside of the slot to limit its movement and thus provide the desiredfunctioning of the device without the formation of particular stops asdescribed in connection with Figures 1 to 7 inclusive. The foregoingdescription is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, butI desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resortingto all the mechanical a slot may be engaged by either Alf) changes towhich the device is susceptible. thy

a pair of jaws, and means mounted in one of said jaws to engage thefabric positioned between said jaws, said means being so constructed andpositioned as to be moved by the relative movement of the fabric betweensaid jaws in one direction to exert a greater pressure on the fabricthan before movement and stop means to maintainsaid greater pressure onthe fabric although permittin frictional sliding of the fabrictherealong uring a continued movement of the fabric in said direction. V

2. In a clasp for gripping a piece of fabric, a pair of jaws, and meansmounted in one of sand jaws-to engage the fabric position between saidjaws, said means being so constructedand positioned as to be moved bythe withdrawing movement of the fabric to ex ert a greater pressure onthe fabric than before movement, and stop means to maintain said greaterfpressure on the fabric although exert a greater pressure on the fabric,and.

permitting ictionalflsliding movement of the fabric therealong duringcontinued withdrawing movement of'the fabric.

3. In a clasp'for gripping a piece of fabric,

- a pair of jaws, and means mounted in one of said jaws to engage thefabric ositioned between said jaws, said means being so constructed andpositioned as to be moved by the withdrawlng movement of the fabric tomoved to exert a lesser ressure on the-fabric by an insertion of theabric into said jaws, and stop means to selectively maintain greater orlesser pressure on the fabric although permitting frictional sliding ofthe fabric therealong during a continued movement of the fabric in asingle direction. 7 1

4 In a clasp for ipping a piece of fabric a pair of resilient gaws,and'means pivotally mounted in one o opposite jaw or. fabric positionedetween said jaws, said means being so constructed and positioned as tobe moved my movement of the fabric in one direction to exert a greaterpressure on the fabric, and be moved by opposite movement of the fabricto exert a lesser pressure on the fabric,-and stop means to selectivelymaintain greater or lesser pressure on the fabric although permittingfrictional sliding of the fabric therealon dur-.

ing a continued movement of the fabr c in a single direction. I

5. In a clasp for gripping a piece of fabric,

- a pair of jaws, and a friction member pivotally mountedin one jaw withits engaging surface at different distances from its pivotal mounting,and means for limiting the movement of said member about said pivot andsaid member being so constructed and arranged as to provide that at onelimit the point of said member furtherest from said pivot is nearest theopposite jaw.

6. In a clasp for gripping'a piece of fabric, a pair of jaws, and afriction member pivoted said jaws to en age the stop the member in agripping position.

in one jaw eccentrically with its engaging surface at differentdistances from its pivot, and means for limiting the pivotal movement'of said member in said jaw to a swing of substantially ninety degrees,said member being so constructed and arranged that it will move from onestop to the other upon insertion orremoval of a piece of fabric betweensaid jaws.

' 7. In a clasp for grippin a piece of fabric,

a pair of jaws, and a mem er pivoted eccen trically with respect to itsengaging surface in one of said jaws, and means for limiting the pivotalmovement of said member in said jaw to present either a maximum orminimum 'gripplng position, said means being so con- 'ofsaidjaws, andmeans for limiting the pivotal movement of said member .in said jaw,said means belng so constructed and pos1- tioned as to permit movementfrom maximum to minimum gripping position upon insertion of the fabricbetween said jaws and to permit reverse movement from minimum to maximumgripping position upon initial retraction of the fabric from-betweensaid jaws, followedby return to minimum gripping position.

9. In a clasp for gri a pair of jaws, one 0 said aws being resilient, amember pivotally mounted in one of said jaws off center with respect toits en gaging surface and in engagement with the other aw to turn .whenfabricis moved between said jaws, and stop means to limit the movementof the member so arranged as to position of maximum ping a piece offabric,

10. In a clasp for gripping a piece of fabiic,

a pair of jaws, a member pivotally mounted in one of said jaws and inengagement with the otherjaw to turn when fabric is moved be tween saidjaws, said member having abutment shoulders, and means to engage saidshoulders and limit the movement of said member in both directions.

11. In a clasp for gripping a piece of fabric, a pair of, jaws,'a memberpivotally mounted in one of said jaws and in engagement with the otherjaw to turn when fabric is moved between said jaws, a part of oneof saidjaws providing apivot extending beyond the ends of said member andportions on said member to engage the pivot and limit the movement ofthe cam about the pivot.

12. In a clasp for grippinga piece of fabric, a pair of jaws, a campivotally mounted in one of said jaws and in en agement with the otherjaw to turn when fa no is inserted between said jaws, said cam havin anotch to provide abutment shoulders, an a finger extending into saidnotch to engage said shoulders and limit the movement of said cam.

13. means pivotallymounted in one of said jaws to -resiliently engagethe other jaw, said means being so constructed and positioned as to moveupon initial withdrawal of the material betweensaldjaws to increase thepressure upon thematerial and means to limit the movement of said meansin said direction to maintain the increased pressure applied.

14. In a collar holder oppositely disposed pairs of jaws and meanspivotally mounted in one of the jaws of each pair to resiliently engagethe other jaw, said means being so constructed and positioned as to moveupon movement of the collar between said jaws in one direction toincrease the pressure upon said collar andmeans to limit the movement ofsaid means in said direction to maintain the increased pressure applied.

15. In a tie clasp, a pair of wire jaws, and means pivotally mounted inone of said jaws to resiliently engage the other jaw, said means beingso constructed and pos1tioned as to move upon movement of the materialbetween said jaws in one direction to increase the pressure upon thematerial, and means to limit the movement of said means in saiddirection to maintain the increased pressure applied, said first namedmeans being moved to lessen the pressure upon said material uponopposite movement o1 the material.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

JAS 1B. ALLllSON.

In a tie clasp, a pair of wire jaws, and

